A Porter, a Teacher & a Woman Auto Driver: How Free Rail WiFi Changed Their Lives!

These are heartwarming stories of human perseverance and dedication that all of us, who grumble at the slightest inconveniences, must learn from.

The advent of the Internet and more recently, Wi-Fi has without a doubt, changed countless lives across the globe. From education to entrepreneurial opportunities, the entry of the World Wide Web has opened many new possibilities for people and given them a chance to broaden their prospects in life. Now that smartphones have become quite affordable, these opportunities are literally at one’s fingertips.

If you are an Indian Railway loyalist and often travel in trains, you would have noticed that your phone receives Railwire Wi-fi notifications.

While this feature was earlier limited to prominent railway stations, it is now present even in small railway stations across the country.

A Google India venture in collaboration with the national transporter’s Railtel to provide free, high-speed Wi-Fi to passengers and others under the Digital India initiative, Railwire is slowly helping people harness the full potential of the Internet and transform their lives.

The story of Sreenath K, a porter at the Ernakulam junction railway station in Kerala, made national headlines after the young man cleared the Kerala Public Service Commission exams using only Railwire Wi-Fi for its preparations.

It is indeed a heartwarming story of human perseverance and dedication, and you can read it here.

However, Sreenath isn’t alone. In a series of short videos, Google India has different protagonists ranging from a female auto-rickshaw driver to a martial arts trainer whose stories are equally inspiring and an eye-opener for those who grumble at the smallest of inconveniences.

Check out the remarkable video stories of Helen from Kollam and Naresh Babu from Ooty and how Internet accessibility has not just transformed their lives but has also empowered them in the process:

1. Helen Jose, an auto-rickshaw driver from Kollam, who while waiting for passengers at the Kollam Junction station uses the railway Wi-Fi to browse and download relevant educational materials for her school-going son.

2. Naresh Babu, a martial arts trainer from Ooty who uploads videos of his training sessions with children with the help of the railway Wi-Fi at the mountain train station to raise greater awareness about self-defence amidst the younger population.

Shuttling between existentialist views and Grey's Anatomy, Lekshmi has an insanely disturbing habit of binge reading. An ardent lover of animals and plants, she also specializes in cracking terribly sad jokes.